The Perfect Storm
by EvilCharmingFic
Summary: The Charmings capture Regina. To save her life, David goes on a remote island with her to attempt to rehabilitate the Evil Queen. This story is actually told in polls on Twitter. I post a poll everyday with various options and you get to choose where the story is going. If you want to play, check my Twitter account @EvilCharmingFic. I'll try to separate the polls in chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Capture

Chapter 1: Capture

David leads his army into the forest towards the Evil Queen's castle. Their plan is to storm it during the night and capture Regina alive. David will try his best but he won't sacrifice his men for her. They storm the castle and a soldier shoots an arrow at the Queen.

Regina's magic is ineffective against the special arrow and it hits its target. Regina yelps as the arrow hits her in the shoulder.

When she regains consciousness, Regina is laying in a wagon for destination unknown with Charming at her side, sword in hand. Regina bites her lower lip to prevent a whimper from escaping past her throat with each bump on the road. She wouldn't give Charming that pleasure. She looks at her shoulder, with the arrow still in.

David waits for her to look at him before speaking. "We're two hours away from camp. We' take the arrow out there."

Regina glares at him. She can feel her magic being sucked away and she knows the arrow is responsible. She sits up and tries to yank it out.

David stops her before she succeeds. "What are you thinking? Are you mad?"

After removing the arrow, the bleeding won't stop and Regina falls unconscious. David presses hard against her shoulder, yelling for a doctor. The pain wakes Regina up and she looks at David. The Prince can see the pain mixed with fear in her eyes. Would he let her die? She is at his mercy and she is begging him to let her live.

David feels pity for the Queen. "I'm not going to let you die, Regina. But you need to stay with me!"

Regina looks up at David. "Why? Why would you want me to live after everything I've done?"

He considers the question and realizes he doesn't know the answer. "I don't know". David answers truthfully, glad to be interrupted by the doctor climbing into the wagon. He takes the Prince's place and David sits on the other side, taking Regina's hand.

Regina glares at him and snaps her hand away. "How dare you?" She growls, hiding her vulnerability behind the Evil Queen's mask. David nods at the doctor to proceed. He sedates Regina and starts working on her shoulder.

She wakes up in a tent with Charming at her side. David approaches Regina and puts the back of his hand on her forehead. She snaps it away. "Your shoulder is infected. You've been running a fever." He explains.

Regina hisses as she tries to move her shoulder. She knows she can die from infection or, in the very least, lose her arms. "Let me heal myself!" She orders.

"No, Regina. I can't take that chance." He answers firmly.

"Are you gonna let me die, Charming?"

"If the situation was reverse, would you trust me?"

Regina looks away from Charming. No, she wouldn't trust him. But isn't he supposed to be a hero, a fool that she could easily manipulate? She closes her eyes to signal the end of the conversation.


	2. Chapter 2: Exile

Chapter 2: Exile

When Regina wakes, she finds herself on a horse with Charming. She opens her eyes and tries to get her bearings. Feeling Regina is awake, David explains. "I'm taking you somewhere safe, Somewhere you can heal yourself."

Regina is too weak to respond. Her shoulder hurts and she is too tired to fight. She barely feels David moving her from the horse to a carriage.

When she regains consciousness, Regina finds herself in a tent alone with Charming who is pressing a cool cloth against her forehead. "Can you heal yourself?"

She manages to heal her shoulder before falling unconscious again.

Regina doesn't wake for three days. Charming takes care of her, all the while thinking about what will be next for the two of them. In the evening, Regina begins to stir. David sits by her side on the bed and places a firm hand on her good shoulder. "Take it easy!"

She tries to get away from David's touch but she is too weak. David moves his hand away to prevent her from further fighting. She looks around the small tent. "Where are we?"

"On Prenn Island." He answers truthfully, bracing himself for her reaction.

Regina's eyes widen. She tries her magic but nothing happens. "What have you done?" She growls.

"I suggest you stop growling at me! We're going to be here for a very long time."

"And whose fault is that?" She shrieks. "Prenn is inaccessible! Only a magic bean can get us back." Regina frowns. Surely, the Prince doesn't intend to be separated from his snowflake forever. "How were you planning to go back?"

"I wasn't."

Regina rolls her eyes. "And I'm supposed to believe you?"

"You were gonna die of an infection. We didn't have much time to think this through."

"So you sent us to Prenn?! I don't have magic here. I can't poof us back!"

"I know." David answers flatly, fully aware of the consequences.

"How long?" Regina's voice trembles slightly.

"A week."

Regina looks up at David. "A week!" She shrieks. In the real world almost a year had passed. "Why did you do this? It might take us months to get back! I might never see my father gain!" She yells at David. The Prince leaves the tent, painfully aware of the situation.

Regina follows him, still yelling.

"Don't you think I know that?" He yells back. "I left Snow behind for you! You're right, Your Majesty, it would have been easier to let you die of an infection. Why didn't I think of that?"

David's insensitive statement just infuriate her further. "Do you think I care about your precious snowflake? As for letting me die, maybe you should have!"

"We're stuck here for the foreseeable future. As much as I loathe the idea, we need to get along."

She moves closer to him. "I don't need you or anyone else." She leaves the camp, fuming. She'll show him that she doesn't need him.

David lets her go. He is too angry to keep arguing with her. After cutting more wood, he settles in the tent and falls asleep almost immediately. He is woken up a few hours later by wind and heavy rain. To his surprise, Regina is not here! He goes to look for her.

He finds her not far from camp, curled up on herself, unconscious. David brings her back to the tent, cursing under his breath. He removes her wet clothes before removing his short. He holds her close to warm her up.

He falls asleep with Regina in his arms. The Queen is first to wake. She doesn't move, torn between comfort and anger. David tightens his embrace around her in his sleep. In a moment of weakness, she sinks deeper into his warmth.

When David wakes, he is momentarily disoriented and thinks himself back in his castle, holding his True Love Snow. The memories of the previous night come crashing down. He remains still.

Regina fells he's awake but doesn't dare move. After a few more minutes, David finally speaks. "How are you feeling?"

Regina remains silent. David moves to look at her. She is battling her own demons. On the one hand, she wants to slap him for his insolence. On the other, she wants the comfort he represents. "I'm ok." She finally answers.

David slowly moves away from her. "You were freezing." He tried to explain.

"It's your fault! You threw me out of the camp!"

David rolls his eyes. "As I remember it, you threw a fit an left."

"What was I supposed to do? Beg you?"

"How about work with me?" He throws a cup at Regina. "Maybe you should learn how to take care of yourself then. Maybe we should start with cooking?"

"I'm a Queen! I won't be cooking for the likes of you!"

David rolls his eyes again and starts making himself breakfast. He places a full plate next to her before leaving her along, going back outside to his task of building them a more appropriate shelter.

Regina pushes the plate away and lies down. When David comes back around lunch time, he finds Regina where he's left her, curled up under the cover, picks up her still full plate and cleans it before preparing some lunch. Once he's done eating, he goes back outside.

Regina sleeps all day until David wakes her as he makes dinner. He can feel Regina is awake so he speaks without facing her, stirring the sop. "I don't want you to die. I came here with you to make you'd survive."

"So instead, you took me away from my father! What were you planning to do with me, Charming?"

David swallows hard. The truth is that Snow would open a portal eight weeks from now to let him back into the Kingdom, leaving Regina stranded. Sure, ten years would have passed in the real world but their love could survive this. He tells her the truth.

She remains silent, too shocked to respond. She knows he hates her but not to the point of leaving her alone on this forsaken island. "When?" She finally asks, resigned to her fate.

David sits next to her. When she finally asks her questions, he can hear the vulnerability in her voice. "It doesn't have to be this way if only you can show me you want to change."

Regina looks away from his. She can't change. It's too late for her. "I think you should leave, Charming." She growls. "Being left alone is a fate worse than death. I don't need a shelter."

Regina stands up abruptly and moves to leave the tent. David grabs her hand. "Regina, show me you can change! Show me that we can trust you!"


	3. Chapter 3: Show me you can change

Chapter 3: Show me you can change

It's been a week since that night and Regina has done her best to avoid Charming at all cost. But the Prince has other plans. He takes her hand to show her the surprise he's been working on. She groans at him as he drags her toward the back of what will become her home. 'Close your eyes." He teases.

Regina growls but complies, her heart beating faster in anticipation. David guides her toward the area where he has built a bathtub. He knows she's been looking forward to a bath. When Regina is finally allowed to open her eyes, she thanks David excitedly.

David watches Regina closely. She has changed over the past week and David has started entertaining the idea of bringing her back with him. "Want me to warm up some water?" She nods. "I'll get some warm water." He turns to leave but finally gathers the courage to ask Regina the question that has been bothering him. "Why do you hate Snow that much?"

"She took someone from me. Someone I care deeply about." Regina answers after a short pause.

David doesn't push her further. He will give her the time she needs to trust him. He smiles at her encouragingly. "I'll get you the warm water."

After her bath, Regina joins David in the tent. He's still fixing dinner and she helps him with the vegetables. As they work in silence, she notices his back is bothering him. She slides behind him and starts massaging his shoulders.

David leans into her touch. "Thank you." He whispers. Regina's finger are expertly removing the knots in his back.

"You're welcome." She shyly smiles at him. "Want to lie down? It will make it easier."

"This is a sight I want to see more often." He explains, referring to her temptative smile.

Regina's smile widens at his comment. David squeezes her hand before laying down on his blanket, letting Regina work her magic.

"I don't want to stay here alone." She finally confesses.

David sits up and takes her hand. "I'm planning on bringing you back with me."

Regina looks at David in shock. "So why are we still building a cabin if you plan on taking me home?" She asks suspiciously.

David swallows. "I needed to make sure you wouldn't kill everyone once we get back. I wanted you to show me you could change."

"And did I pass your test, Charming?"

David can hear the hurt in her voice. "Yes." He answers flatly. "And the fact that you didn't storm out or yelled at me or tried to hurt me in any way is the best proof."

Regina rolls her eyes in annoyance before jokingly slapping the side of his head. David laughs with her. "But we still need to build some shelter." Her announces more seriously.

"Why?" Regina frowns.

David sighs, debating whether or not to tell Regina the truth. On the one hand, she's just proven to him that she's grown so much in the past few weeks and she deserves the truth. On the other hand, he wants to protect her from further heartache. In the end, he settles on the truth. "Snow will try to open a portal a week from now." David starts. "We wanted to give me enough time to make sure you'd survive here."

"Ten years is a long time. Snow may not be around." Regina cuts him off. David looks away, holding his tears back. He nods slowly. Regina sighs. She reaches for his cheek and wipes his tears away. David leans into her touch. "Thank you for coming with me. For not letting me die here alone."

"We're both going home." He promises her.

"What's going to happen to me once we get back?"

David can hear the vulnerability in her voice. "I won't let anything happen to you. Can you trust me?" Regina does trust him but he is only one man against an army. "I won't let anyone hurt you." He reiterates.

"And then what? You're just gonna let me walk back to my castle to live my happy, happy life?"

"No." David answers. "I don't want you to be alone."

"I've been alone my entire life. I'm used to it."

"I don't think you want to be." David gently pulls the Queen in his embrace. She lets David hold her but doesn't answer his comment. David keeps holding her while rubbing her back."I won't hurt you." He tells her again. "And I won't let anyone hurt you. I swear."

Regina slowly pulls out of his embrace. "And if I want to go home, will you let me?"

David sighs. "If that's really what you want, yes. You're not my prisoner."

"If I go, will you come visit?"

David tucks her hair behind her ear. "As often as you want me to." He promises.

"And if I stay, will I be in your dungeon?"

David shakes his head. "You can choose any room in the castle you like."

Regina hesitates. She is afraid to trust him but also afraid of not doing so."

"You don't have to decide now." He tells her. "But I wish you'll choose to stay."

Regina looks up towards David. "Why do you want me to stay?" Her eyes narrow in suspicion.

"Because I like spending time with you. I know it's selfish but I like your company. You've changed, Regina. You showed me you could."

"Or perhaps I just showed you who I was all along." She grins at him.


End file.
